CPAP apparatus

Abstract

A continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) apparatus to supply pressurized breathable gas to a patient includes a flow generator having a gas inlet and a gas outlet, a humidifier having a gas inlet coupled to the gas outlet of the flow generator, and a filter operatively positioned between the gas outlet of the flow generator and the gas inlet of the humidifier.

1. A continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) apparatus to supply pressurized breathable gas to a patient, said apparatus comprising:
 a flow generator having a gas inlet and a gas outlet; 
 a humidifier having a gas inlet coupled to the gas outlet of the flow generator; and 
 a filter operatively positioned between the gas outlet of the flow generator and the gas inlet of the humidifier, 
 wherein said humidifier comprises: 
 a hollow body adapted for at least partial filling with water to a predetermined maximum water level; 
 a heating element to heat the water in the body; and 
 a flow divider adapted to divide the interior of the body above the maximum water level into a relatively dry gas region and a relatively wet gas region, 
 wherein the gas inlet to the body and a gas outlet from the body is above the maximum water level, and 
 wherein the flow divider of the humidifier includes a flow dividing plate that divides the interior of the body above the maximum water level into a relatively dry gas region above the plate and a relatively wet gas region below the plate. 
 
   
   
     2. A CPAP apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the filter is an antibacterial filter. 
   
   
     3. A CPAP apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the flow divider is adjustable. 
   
   
     4. A CPAP apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the hollow body of the humidifier includes an upper body portion, a lower body portion, and a fluid tight seal between the upper and lower body portions. 
   
   
     5. A CPAP apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the upper body portion of the humidifier includes the gas inlet and the gas outlet. 
   
   
     6. A CPAP apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the flow divider of the humidifier is adjustable to a zero added humidification position that prevents communication of the gas entering the body at the gas inlet with the water in the body so that the gas passes through the relatively dry gas region of the body only. 
   
   
     7. A CPAP apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the flow divider of the humidifier is adapted to divide gas entering the body at the gas inlet into the relatively dry gas region and the relatively wet gas region. 
   
   
     8. A CPAP apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the flow divider of the humidifier is adjustable to allow relatively dry gas to pass from the gas inlet to the gas outlet through the interior of the body. 
   
   
     9. A CPAP apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the flow divider of the humidifier is adjustable to allow selective communication of the gas entering the body with the water in the body so that the gas entering the body can undergo zero added humidification, full added humidification, or partial added humidification. 
   
   
     10. A CPAP apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the flow divider of the humidifier is adjustable to control a volume of gas that passes over the water within the hollow body. 
   
   
     11. A CPAP apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the flow divider of the humidifier is adapted to divide the interior of the body into an air flow path for relatively dry gas and an air flow path for relatively wet gas. 
   
   
     12. A continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) apparatus to supply pressurized breathable gas to a patient, said apparatus comprising:
 a flow generator having a gas inlet and a gas outlet; 
 a humidifier having a gas inlet coupled to the gas outlet of the flow generator; and 
 a filter operatively positioned between the gas outlet of the flow generator and the gas inlet of the humidifier, 
 wherein said humidifier comprises: 
 a hollow body adapted for at least partial filling with water to a predetermined maximum water level; 
 a heating element to heat the water in the body; and 
 a flow divider adapted to divide the interior of the body above the maximum water level into a relatively dry gas region and a relatively wet gas region, 
 wherein the gas inlet to the body and a gas outlet from the body is above the maximum water level, and 
 wherein the flow divider of the humidifier is positioned in covering relation with respect to the water in the body. 
 
   
   
     13. A continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) apparatus to supply pressurized breathable gas to a patient, said apparatus comprising:
 a flow generator having a gas inlet and a gas outlet; 
 a humidifier having a gas inlet coupled to the gas outlet of the flow generator; and 
 a filter operatively positioned between the gas outlet of the flow generator and the gas inlet of the humidifier, 
 wherein said humidifier comprises: 
 a hollow body adapted for at least partial filling with water to a predetermined maximum water level; 
 a heating element to heat the water in the body; and 
 a flow divider adapted to divide the interior of the body above the maximum water level into a relatively dry gas region and a relatively wet gas region, 
 wherein the gas inlet to the body and a gas outlet from the body is above the maximum water level, and 
 wherein the flow divider of the humidifier is substantially parallel to and substantially equal in length compared to top and bottom walls of the body. 
 
   
   
     14. A CPAP apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the flow divider of the humidifier is adjustable to allow (1) gas to pass from the gas inlet to the gas outlet through a first air flow passage in which gas undergoes zero added humidification, (2) gas to pass from the gas inlet to the gas outlet through a second air flow passage in which gas undergoes full added humidification, and (3) gas to pass from the gas inlet to the gas outlet through both the first and second air flow passages in which gas undergoes partial added humidification. 
   
   
     15. A CPAP apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein gas is delivered to the relatively dry gas region of the humidifier body at the humidifier gas inlet. 
   
   
     16. A continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) apparatus to supply pressurized breathable gas to a patient, said apparatus comprising:
 a flow generator having a gas inlet and a gas outlet; 
 a humidifier having a gas inlet coupled to the gas outlet of the flow generator; and 
 a filter operatively positioned between the gas outlet of the flow generator and the gas inlet of the humidifier, 
 wherein the filter extends along a length of the humidifier body. 
 
   
   
     17. A CPAP apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein the filter has a length that is substantially the same as the length of the humidifier body. 
   
   
     18. A CPAP apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the filter is attached to the flow generator gas outlet. 
   
   
     19. A CPAP apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the filter is attached to the humidifier gas inlet. 
   
   
     20. A continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) apparatus to supply pressurized breathable gas to a patient, said apparatus comprising:
 a flow generator having a gas inlet and a gas outlet; 
 a humidifier having a gas inlet coupled to the gas outlet of the flow generator and a gas outlet adapted to be coupled to a patient mask; and 
 a filter operatively positioned between the gas outlet of the humidifier and the patient mask, 
 wherein said humidifier comprises: 
 a hollow body adapted for at least partial filling with water to a predetermined maximum water level; 
 a heating element to heat the water in the body; and 
 a flow divider adapted to divide the interior of the body above the maximum water level into a relatively dry gas region and a relatively wet gas region, 
 wherein the gas inlet to the body and the gas outlet from the body is above the maximum water level, and 
 wherein the flow divider of the humidifier includes a flow dividing plate that divides the interior of the body above the maximum water level into a relatively dry gas region above the plate and a relatively wet gas region below the plate. 
 
   
   
     21. A CPAP apparatus according to  claim 20 , wherein the filter is an antibacterial filter.